ARLINGTON &mdash It would have been easy for the Arlington baseball team to fold down 8-2 after two innings against undefeated Proctor on Monday.

They didn't and it almost paid off in the end, as Proctor held off the charging Eagles, 13-8.

"We had enough base runners on all day, but we didn't get a timely hit. We have a lot to learn, there's more hitting potential, we'll figure out the order and where kids will help us out the best," said Arlington coach Tim Stewart

Down by six runs in the fourth, Arlington started the inning by loading the bases with no one out on a pair of singles — one from Shaun O'Dell and the other from Bailey Cross — and a walk by Nick Ritchie against Derek Almond. Zack Rogers got an easy RBI with a walk of his own, this one off Joe Valerio, who came in to relieve.

Will Stewart drove in a run with a fielder choice and Jared Lacoste walked to load the bases, but on the next at-bat, the Eagles ran into an out when there was confusion on the count, whether it was 3-and-2 or 2-and-2.

That made the score 9-4 and the Eagles were getting back into it.

"When they are used to their role, we'll see how it goes," Stewart said. "Last year we only played 11 games, we'll play more games this year, and I think we'll be a better team and more enjoyable to watch. This is a core group that loves to compete."

In the sixth inning, now at 12-4, Arlington struck for three more runs. Cross struck out, but reached on a wild throw from the catcher. Kolby Wilkins singled in his only at-bat and after a strikeout, Stewart walked to load the bases. A couple of wild pitches brought in a pair of runners, while the third scored on a basehit by Alex Paustian.

They scored a final run in the seventh after O'Dell walked and Cross crushed a run-scoring triple over the right fielder's head.

Cross was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while O'Dell was 1-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.

Darren Golden also had multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

On the mound, Arlington put the game together with five different pitchers, trying to save their eligibility for later in the week.

Golden started and faced four batters, unable to retire any of them. Jack Lane came in and pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and four runs.

Lacoste came in with two out in the third and pitched the next 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs. Paustian and O'Dell finished the game with an inning apiece, each allowing a run.

"It's going to take us halfway thru the season to figure out the lineup, but I was happy with [the pitching] and how Jared, Alex and Shaun threw," Stewart said.

Arlington drops to 0-3 on the season and hosts Leland & Gray on Wednesday.

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